Aron Johannsson to undergo ankle surgery

The U.S. national team striker is expected to miss six to eight weeks after surgery to correct the nagging injury.

AZ striker Aron Johannsson is set to undergo surgery on his ankle now that his World Cup campaign with the U.S. national team has come to an end.

The 23-year-old featured in the opening 2-1 win over Ghana as a first-half substitute for the injured Jozy Altidore. Johannsson failed to make any further appearances in the tournament, and a statement on AZ's official website Friday confirmed he was to undergo the procedure.

"Aron Johannsson will this month have surgery on his ankle," it read. "The striker suffered for a while with the complaint to the joint. Johannsson is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks."

The news comes as a blow to AZ, which was indebted to Johannsson's 17 league goals for its eighth-place finish in Eredivisie last season.